PUBLISHED ONJanuary 19, 2025 5:45 AMByCandice CaiTwo coffee shops, located in Kaki Bukit and Sembawang, have faced suspensions on the same day for offences relating to the cleanliness and maintenance of toilet and sanitary fittings.
Fu Chan Food Paradise and Asian Cuisine, the Food Shop, were both served a one-day suspension on Friday (Jan 17), stated the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) in two separate notices released the same day.
The former is located at 505 Canberra Link, while the latter is situated at 18 Kaki Bukit Road 3.
In the notice for Fu Chan Food Paradise, SFA stated that it had accumulated 12 demerit points within a 12-month period for three offences of failing "to keep toilet clean and in good repair".
The coffee shop's licensee was also fined a total of $1,500 for these offences.
Similarly, the licensee of Asian Cuisine was fined $1,100 for three offences of failing to "keep toilet clean and in good repair", as well as two offences for failing to "maintain sanitary fittings, etc, in good working condition and repair".
According to SFA, a coffee shop or eating house which accumulates 12 or more demerit points during a 12-month period may have their licence suspended for a period of one to three days.
The SFA stated that it takes a serious view of such offences and reminded food business operators to observe good food and personal hygiene practices at all times.
"This includes engaging only registered food handlers and ensuring upkeep and maintenance of licensed premises (including toilets within)," said the SFA, adding that it will not hesitate to take firm action against anyone found to be in violation of the Environmental Public Health Act.
The suspensions come after a report by The Straits Times in November last year stating that more than 66 per cent of Singaporeans find public toilets in hawker centres and coffee shops as dirty as they were three years ago, or "have become much dirtier".
This finding was based on a 2023 study conducted by the Singapore Management University.
In reply to a member of the public on Jan 16 on The Straits Times Forum about the issue of dirty coffee shop toilets, SFA's Senior Director of Joint Operations Division, Siti Suriani Abdul Majid, stated that both the National Environment Agency (NEA) and SFA have put in place stricter penalties when it comes to public toilet cleanliness since April 2020.
She added that "about 900 enforcement actions were taken against coffee shop owners for offences such as failing to keep their toilets clean, failing to maintain sanitary fittings in good working condition, and failing to provide hand soap or toilet paper" from Jan 1 to Nov 15 last year.
SFA had also suspended 10 coffee shops for toilet-related lapses under the points demerit system.
She also urged users of public toilets to "exercise personal responsibility by keeping public toilet seats clean after use, flushing fully, keeping the floor dry, and throwing litter in the bins properly".
[[nid:713261]]
candicecai@asiaone.com
